The preparation for a Himalayan trek started in May. It was to be me, Anoop, Sourabha, and Harsha. For Sourabha and Harsha it was to be their 1st exposure to the Himalayas. But we were at loggerheads; Sourabha wanted to go to Rupin, Anoop had his heart set at Goecha La, me and Harsha were indifferent. After much deliberations it was to be Rupin Pass. Without much adieu we booked our slots in the trek by June end, and flight tickets were booked by July. Excited we!We got all our hiking gear from our friendly neighbourhood Decathlon store. The plan was to be like this:1. We travel to Delhi early morning on 30th Sept, roam all day.2. Travel to Dehradun on 30th Sept with Nanda Devi express, and reach early morning. From Dehradun we go to Rishikesh for adventure sports, and stay there on 30th Sept and 1st Oct.3. Bungee jumping on 1st Oct and roam around Rishikesh at night and4. Do river rafting of 24 Km stretch, return to Dehradun by evening, and rendezvous with the Indiahikes trekkers on 3rd Oct morn.We had an amazing time loitering around Delhi, doing bungy jumping and river rafting in Rishikesh (described in a separate blog post).Day 1: A Long, Twisty but Serene Ride We reached Dehradun railway station at around 6:30am. Anoop and all the other trekkers were already there (sans Mahendra, Jaggi, Hrishi, and Vishwa, who went on their own the previous day). Some nice lemon tea, a group pic and we were on our way to Dhaula. 3 vehicles were carrying 16 people.

From childhood it was my dream to see and explore the mighty Himalayas. And when I got a job at Bangalore and started finding time to explore India with my friend in bike, I still had that spark inside me for Himalayas. I some how managed my unconditional love for mountains by doing small small treks to western Ghats and the near by trekking spots around Bangalore. One fine day I decided to give life to my Himalayan dream when I saw an add accidentally on net about “India hikes” a very popular trekking community. I was not sure weather to give it a try or not. The landscape, weather & so many other factors which I have no clue how to handle and also the budget was also quite expensive. I always take decisions passionately here also I did the same. I choose a moderate to hard level trek in Uttarakhand called Brahmtal summit. For first timer it is a quite hard trek still I choose that because it was the only trek that was available that time which takes us close inside the Himalayan ranges and yes I was thrilled to experience the snow capped landscape this trek gonna offer. It was in the month of Feb which is winter season in Himalayas so not many treks were open also at that time.

I reached Bangalore on the say day as I had to join the office from the next day.The cost for the trip was around Rs 15,000 INR excluding the flight tickets (INR 10 to 12k)and the visa charges (INR 1,200).

And then we realized that we have to get back to our normal routine. We checked out post breakfast and headed back to Bangalore. And luckily we saw few wild elephants when we were crossing the forest.All together it was like a real good cup of tea with a little masala of adventure, sweetness of leisure and a slight ginger flavour of the musical nights.Bangalore to Vythri Village Resort : 300 Km via Mysore

The science of nightlife was earlier explained in case of Hyderabad, but Bengaluru is the ultimate boss of nighclubs in the entire South India. With 5-star nightclubs everywhere to huge international bands performing there day in and out, this city is one of the very best if you're a sucker for endless parties. When it comes to the list of India nightlife, Bengaluru is no. 4 on the list.Tripoto's top 3 of the city: No Limmits Lounge and Club, i-Bar, and High Ultra Lounge.Average expenditure for two: Rs. 3,000Read more about the city.

Day5:It was the last day of our sojourn and we were up around 6 a.m. to bid adieu to the other riders. With that out of the way, we resumed our ride towards Bangalore. Everyone wanted to reach Bangalore early, so we stopped only for tea and light snacks in between. We reached Bangalore at around 4 p.m. with everyone dispersing towards their respective homes

Our ride started from Skanda Motors in Rajaji Nagar, Bengaluru. The seven of us started the journey at 8 in the morning. To shrug off the sleepiness we all had a cup of coffee in the morning. Needless to say, we were all excited and geared up for the ride. Two of the riders started from Mumbai towards Goa and 4 other riders, on their Mahindra Mojo, joined us in Goa.

Nothing like a good trip over the weekend after a long boring energy sucking week!! Not until 6:00 PM did I have the faintest idea that I will be off to Kodaikanal for the weekend. It was just a usual hot summer evening in Bangalore. I get back to my room and jump into my bed to catch my sleep. But I toss and twirl trying to find that comfort position and then I fail. I lay awake staring at the ceiling letting my mind wander at will. All I remember next was browsing Redbus for tickets. And there it was: two tickets to Kodaikanal, like it was saved for me and someone I was sure will accompany me. I called up a friend who was no less crazy than me, and booked us both a trip to kodai. Kodaikanal is a hill station in Tamil Nadu, its name translated as "Gift of the Forest" and it is indeed. I have covered hill stations in South, but Kodaikanal has a raw charm that beats all the others with its less anglicized landscapes and mist covered forests. It is less commercialised and well preserved and oddly enough with no plastic leftovers in sight.Locally known as the Princess of Hill Stations, The city is accessible by road, train or by air. The cheapest being train(Of course depending upon where you are travelling from). The nearest airports are in Madurai, Coimbatore and Tiruchirapally. Nearest railway stations are Palani (the ride uphill from Palani is beyond gorgeous), Kodaikanal Road Station and Madurai Junction. Buses run uphill at intervals taking you to Kodaikanal.We decided to take the bus from Bangalore to avoid crossovers and bought our tickets for 850 Rs (you will get it for around 600 Rs if you book three weeks ahead). We also had our room booked on Tripadvisor to avoid the hassle of looking around for rooms.It was 7:30 PM when we were done booking our rooms and with all the uncertainity of catching our bus, waddling through Bangalore's infamous traffic,we packed our bags and left.We did make it to the bus, almost missing it. And as we settled in, we realised we were in seats with no leg space. Either the bus catered only to zero sized figurines or we had missed how much our thighs had grown horizontally over the lazy week days at work. Nevertheless, we were two happy souls on our way to Kodaikanal - the land of magic mushrooms.

Catched bus the same night towards bangalore for i had to attend a 3 day conference. Tried Oyo Rooms during my stay at bangalore for 800 per night and found it to be value for money! from amenities like laundry, water, food to cleanliness, from toiletries standards to AC rooms to cozy beds to furniture used and interiors, everything was beyond my expectations!

The distance from Ooty to Mysore is 130 kms and the road from Ooty to Mysore passes through Madhumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and Bandipur Tiger Reserve. The road is really awesome and full of thrill as it passes through dense forests and there are many animals crossing points also. Because we had enough time thus we decided to take a safari in the dense forest of Madhumalai Wildlife Sanctuary. Madhumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Tamil Nadu while Bandipur Tiger Reserve is situated in Karnataka. Bandipur Tiger Reserve is also a good place for wildlife lovers. After that we continued our journey by heading towards Mysore and in the evening we reached Mysore.
Tariff's for Hotel: Starting from ₹1000/- per room (Non AC)
Starting from ₹1500/- per room (AC)
Mysore is one of the most popular tourist destination in Karnataka. It is also known as "Palace City" of India. There we visited Mysore Palace, Lalitha Mahal Palace and Chamundi Hills. Mysore Palace is one of the best palaces in India. The Palace shows us the lifestyle of our kings that how they lived such a royal life. It is a must visit palace. Lalitha Mahal is also a royal palace with a good architecture. After visiting Chamundi Hills, we left Mysore and then started our journey towards Chennai. The distance from Mysore to Chennai is 480 kms. After a smooth drive of 8 hrs we reached Chennai in the late night.

After tasting the Mysore Pak in Coimbatore, Mysore became a place of must visit. So we reached here in the evening hours and was blessed with the opportunity to view the Mysore palace lighting up for the night hours. Its just spectacularly amazing.

As far as majestic history goes, there are not many places that can trump Mysore, often referred to as the 'City of Palaces'. The Mysore Palace built by the Wodeyar Kings is a place where perhaps one can locate how Mysore became as culturally rich as it is for the Wodeyar Kings were great patrons of art and culture, allowing various forms, crafts and styles to flourish and grow in a way that they still exist and temper the way the city is today.
However, this is not all, Mysore is not just a place of cultural but also natural beauty. Located at the foot of the Chamundi Hills it has numerous lakes like Kukkarhalli and Karanji. The Chamundi Hills are also important because atop them is located the Chamundeshwari Temple, one of the most important religious sites in Mysore.

Mysore, formerly a Princely State, until the Independence of India in 1947 is filled with Royal beauty. It was once a region with flourishing art and culture under the royal and mighty kings. Also called as the "City of Palaces", Mysore's beauty can be seen through its rich architecture and its majestic palaces that stand tall today. Passed form the Vijayanagar Empire to the Wodeyar family (that lives here even today), Mysore has always been occupied by Royalty.

After the break, we reached Mysore recharged and our first stop had to be the street side dosa stalls serving up the famous south Indian dish ‘masala dosa’. With hot, freshly made dosas in our laps we sat on cold stone steps looking out on the magnificent 1927 Silver Jubilee Clock Tower now lit up by spotlights.
The next morning we made our way to visit our first Catholic church in India, St. Philomena’s Cathedral. The cathedral has some beautiful stained-glassed windows and it was very interesting how inside the locals had Indianised the church.
From the cathedral we caught a rickshaw and made our way towards the gate of the Maharaja’s Palace. Continuing through the palace the interior never ceased to amaze with huge hallways, massive swinging chandeliers and a kaleidoscope of mirrors, stained glass and sparkling walls that when reflected in the mirrors seemed to continue forever.

We won't be able to start riding from the outset, but will initially have to take a shuttle bus to battle the traffic on its own terms. Once we get to riding, the route for the day is overflowing with culture, which is quite expected for India! We ride past mango orchards, nurseries, paddy fields and temples and make the first stop at the Big Banyan Tree. This gigantic tree is about 400 years old and spreads itself over 3 acres. after a stop here, we move onto the small town of Channapatna, where toy-makers make handmade toys in their small factories. Before this, we stop for a typical Kannadiga cuisine at Kamat Lokaruchi. Channapatna owes its toy-making heritage to the King Tipu Sultan, who first introduced this otherwise Persian art. The small highway town is lined with bright shops showcasing horses, beads and sundry toys. We again use shuttle to reach the cultural capital of Karnataka, Mysore.

After a quick stop in Murudeshwar, we start our way back and with respect to the weekend traffic and the Bad roads, our journey was too tiresome and late. we reached to Manipal around late evening. We dint want to waste our time roaming out in the late night. we sorted the the quickest way to reach Mangalore from manipal as it was 8 already the direct bus was not available, hence we catch the bus to Udipi, then udipi to mangalore as we were extremely tired with the trip, we head to our room in mangalore. not to miss this, 'Urban Retreat Homestay' - A very Beautiful Bungalow with good hospitality. loved it.!

A trip to Gokarna was a quick one with just saturday and sunday. As I live in Mumbai, to reach Gokarna in an easiest mode, I flew to Mangalore and landed in the early hours of Saturday. we had booked a car which unfortunately happened to be unlucky as we had to travel 63 km all the way to pick the car. not to waste any time we got into a City Bus to reach Manipal in 1 hour of time. Not to forget mentioning about the Bumpy Bus journey we had. Mind-blowing.! may be I had experienced the Bus Journey for the first time, though the roads were Horrible, the Driver was super fast literally we were Jumping, added to this the loud music and cold breeze. Great way to Kick start the Holidays i say.!After the amazing Bus journey we got into a restaurant for Breakfast in Udipi. Dont miss to eat in Udipi, best known for Food. Living in mumbai my taste buds are literally dead, not that the maharashtrian cuisine is bad, Being a Typical South Indian i can go heads over crazy for the authentic 'Idly vada pongal vada and sambar'. The taste still reminds me.! Totally Worth it.!

Mangalore, the coastal town is adorned with beautiful beaches and well-known temples. Penambur, Suratkal, Someshwar, Kaup, and Malpe are the list of beaches that you can certainly travel. If you have already soaked your self in the glazing sun while cozily lying down in one of these beaches, then let me get you introduced to the other side of nature that you can look up for, in your next visit.

When we think about beaches and vacations in India, Goa is the first place that comes to our mind and well why not it serves everything we dream of ;) Surprising this time me and my friend decided to discover something new, and so the next choice was Gokarna and Varkala. Fortunately or unfortunately we could not find any accommodation in Gokarna because of holiday season and that's how Mangalore happened. As they say, most good things happen when you expect them the least and I am glad it happened.Day 0:We took sleeper bus from Bangalore around 8:30 pm and reached Mangalore at 6:30 am. I would not say that journey was comfortable but it was worth it. Alternative and better option is via train but we could not get the tickets, last minute planners never get the privilege.

It was Saturday morning I told one of my friend about this trek near kudremukh I sent him some links of the blogs and photos. After seeing the pictures he was amazed and was ready to join me on this trek. We asked all our friends to join us. But only 4 people came up with yes . It was 11:00 in the morning, I went to bus stand to ask for bus timing to kudremukh ,The buses were at 1:00,2:20 and last bus was at 3:40 from state bank private bus stand of Mangalore . So we decided to catch 1:00 bus. I was packing my bag I got a call from one of my friend that he cannot come with us. It was very disappointing But we couldn’t miss that trek because of him. So we packed our bag and left home by the time I reached bus stop it was 1:15 and we had missed the bus,our next bus was at 2:20 and none of my friends had reached the bus stop yet . I was sitting in bus stop and scrolling my Instagram page at 1:30 remaining two of my friends showed up finally . The next bus was at 2:20 and we still had 1 hour , So we decided to go to Karkala first and then change the bus at Karkala to kudremukh we dint knew perfectly but we were trying our luck ,I was 70% sure that we may get bus from Karkala .We took Karkala bus- the journey time from mangalore to Karkala is 1 and half hour . If had not booked anything in kudremukh yet. But we had a phone number of a base camp(home stay ), He is very well known person in that area his name is ‘Raje Gowda’.

We woke up early the next day because we had to make it to the wedding. It was a muslim wedding and so it involved a lot of biryani and short wedding service. I met my childhood friend at the wedding venue and we had lunch together. I'm not a wedding person so we decided to leave quickly after lunch. I went back to the hotel and changed while two of my other friends went and got scooters for us to get around the city. Mangalore is humid since it's a coastal area. But, I never found it as humid as Chennai or Goa.

We left late in the afternoon and went by bus. After 350 km and hours of a slow drive, we reached late in the night and the drive had been extremely bumpy due to some road work going on in the ghat section of the western coast of south India. It was nearly midnight and I wanted a bed to sleep. We found our rooms, changed, and slept.

Ooty as many of you know is a place of toy trains and tea estates. It’s known for its flower shows and lake rides. Most of them picture their holiday in this lush green valley, sipping their hot cup of tea, soaking in every bit of tranquillity that nature can offer while gazing out at the stars at night. One can very well do all this and more.

I had this thing in my mind to tell everyone of my first Road Trip and here it is,I hope you enjoy it and plan to go there .I had nothing planned for this journey .I did not know I was going to choose road instead of railway .I had no experience in driving the bike but somehow I managed to drive bike for the first time without anyone's help to the toughest trail of south India and I could proudly say that with god grace I have completed approx. 15-20 successful road trips .I urge you to take road trip and believe me there is nothing more powerful than the spell of nature.What if perfect time doesn't come ,what if all you have carried throughout life is burden and hope for things to go better and smooth ,why can't you establish a pact with yourself and stop being worried,disappointed and hopeless with your life all the time. It’s time to outsmart the truth and accept what you are and stop being someone you've been dreaming of.People do day dreams ,they compare their lives with someone else's without knowing the fact that comparison is the thief of joy .No matters who you are ,no matters what you do ,there is always place of going places in one’s mind .To be truthful ,I was not happy person ever, not even now but when it comes to travel and places ,my soul fills with felicity.I am writing this blog not to gain popularity rather to help some person who needs a break from day to day life.I started my expedition from Chennai, Tamil Nadu to Ooty .Here is my route map throughout the journey

1st Wedding Anniversary is a special day, 365 of love adjustments little little fights and loads of enjoyment and a day to celebrate. We Tripjodi had no such special plans to celebrate our first Anniversary, however had thought to go for a ride to our nearest hill station Ooty. ( hardly 85 Km from Coimbatore ).

Some of the major Shooting location area that i covered are shown in the photographs. 'Kellan Marg'- A very very beautiful landscape, very cinematic, green spreads till you reach your sight and lovely horses and goats playing around enjoying the mother nature. Treat for ones eyes.! I seriously couldn't stop jumping you see :)

I have been thinking about writing a blog about Ooty for years now. Just like anyone writing blogs, I am not always satisfied with the end product. After deleting 100's of write ups, I have realized that my love for the place cannot be put into words.So I have decided to just go with the photos I have taken over my multiple trips to this heavenly abode I call my "Second Home".I hope you enjoy them as much as I did in clicking them!!

Day 8:- Coorg to Ooty I was well aware that today’s ride is going to be a super awesome ride as we have to ride from one cold place Coorg to the queen of hills the other cold place Ooty. And the main attraction for the day was that we had to cross 3 states karnataka, kerala and Tamil nadu and the road runs through bandipur national park(karnataka), wayanad (kerala) and mudumalai with masinagudi (tamilnadu). So most of the time the road runs through dense forest. But there was a big risk involved in it, as it was a tiger reserve so you can get a change to see a tiger. If not that there been several cases of elephant attacks on these road. They are wild not the tamed one, so imagine if you are on bike and happen to meet these animals right in front of you. So with great joy we started our day from coorg and after a few hours of ride we reached nagarhole national park. We were stopped at the entrance. After enquiring we came to know that bikes are not allowed only cars and buses are allowed. Because it’s a tiger reserve. So we came to the main road and started towards bandipur . For that you will come across a place called kutta after which the kerala border starts and we have to ride for somtime inside kerala in order take the road for bandipur. It was already past 2pm so we decided to stop for lunch. Found a hotel and had an authentic kerala food on banana leaves with fried fish. After that we had to first cross wayanad forest then enter bandipur. Actually all the 3 forest wayanad,bandipur and mudumalai is a single forest but divided due to state boundaries. One important thing to be kept in mind is that we are not allowed to enter these places after 6pm. So we have to make sure we enter these place before that. If you have to go through the forest road from bandipur towards ooty, you have to take route 766 because only this route will take you through forest or else you will miss the forest ride. So once you enter bandipur by 766 it will take you out of bandipur towards gundlupete, from there you have to take the route 181 which is known as the coimbatore ooty gundlupete highway which will take us to the second entrance to the bandipur national park. The initial ride before exiting was also awesome. We are not allowed to stop anywhere on the road as it’s a forest area either you be in car or bike. No photography is allowed. But people were stopping at certain place wherever they spot deers and other wild animal’s . So unless no forest officials caught us there is no issue or else we will have to pay fine. In the first ride we spotted only deer,monkey,peacocks. So after exiting from 766 route we took the 181 route which brought us to the second entrance of bandipur national park which leads to Ooty via mudumalai forest. Only after reaching there we knew that we have to go through 2 entrances. And luckily at the second entrance when we reached it was 5:45pm , if we would have been 20 minutes late. They wouldn’t have allowed us to pass through. We now entered the gate after some distance we spotted deers again, but the fear was that neither tiger nor elephant should cross the route. And it was getting darker. Finally saw an elephant close to the road as other cars were pass we also didn’t stop. Then at many places we spotted groups of elephants some were only 2 to 3 feet close to road but none of them did anything. At a place even we spotted a tiger footprints. But luckily no tiger around. Finally we crossed bandipur and entered tamilnadu through mudumalai national park. At the entrance of mudumalai the forest officials informed me that few minutes back a herd of elephants passed from here so be care full they can turn violent anytime. It was getting colder and colder and by now it had already become dark. And we have to cross this forest . I followed a mahindra thar as this is easy way because the roads were zigzag so you need to concentrate more and chances of hitting any animal is also less during night. It had a good caption behind it which read “I may get lost somewhere. But i will not get stuck anywhere “. Kept following it as he was driving at a good pace till we exited the forest area. We came to a Junction called theppakadu, from there we took route 700 which is known as mysuru ooty road and exited the forest through masinagudi. Once out of forest we stopped for a hot coffee and bhajji. Sat there for some time. Then continued we came across a valley which is known as bison valley after which we had to take 36 hairpin bends upwards. I stopped and clicked a photo and continued as the height went increasing it became cooler and cooler. Which showed us that we are reaching ooty. But it was super fun to take those 36 hairpin bends as it was too steep. Once done with it we reached ooty in some time again halted for coffee break before searching for hotel. We came inside ooty for hotels and we saw an oyo board near a hotel and asked mateen to stop. By then a person came from the opposite direction and asked us are you looking for hotel. We said yes and he took us to the same hotel where we stopped bargained and took a room for 2 nights as 800 per day. In the end it was an awesome ride we ordered our dinner , had it and went to sleep.

Day 4: Coimbatore (on the return back to Mysuru)Last day we planned to start early and cover Coimbatore on the way back home. I believe our PM's visit that brought lot of popularity for the large Shiva statue set up in Isha Foundation, Coimbatore.We had a mouth watering local food that includes - Ven pongal, Onion Uttappam, Ambode, Medu vada and onion dosa just before we take left in Coimbatore city to reach Isha foundation. Breakfast costed less than 200/- for 4 people

We started from Coimbatore, it is just 53 Kilometres from Coimbatore and nice offbeat place to spend a weekendDhoni waterfalls is a small waterfalls near Palakkad in Kerala. We had a weekend exploration to the Dhoni and enjoyed the 4 kilometres long trek through dense forests in Wester ghats.

Known for its salubrious climate and proximity to the Nilgiris, Coimbatore is a bustling city in Kongunadu in western Tamil Nadu. Teeming with education institutions, engineering companies and textile mills, the city is also considered among the safest and fastest growing ones in the country. About 25 km from the city is the pristine region of Siruvani, through which the river by the same name flows gently. Located close to the foothills of the Western Ghats, this green belt is rife with waterfalls, rolling hills, fields and rivers; a few resorts have sprung up in the Siruvani region, offering visitors an opportunity to unwind, slow down and explore the forests in the vicinity. The newest, and perhaps the plushest, among them is VM Hospitality’s Dvara.

From everything we gathered on the internet and Couchsurfing, we figured that to reach Ooty, we'd have to take a flight to Coimbatore and then take a bus to Ooty. We found out that there are 2 terminals near the Airport. The internet suggested that there are direct buses from Gandhipuram, however we learnt that the bus services are limited and we should take a bus from Mettupalayam Road Terminus. So we took the 4:00 AM flight from Delhi to Coimbatore and took an Ola from the airport to Mettupalayam Road Terminus. We took the bus from Mettupalayam at around 10:30 and reached our hotel in Ooty by about 4. We had booked Fun City Resort through Goibibo. We had actually reached the place well before 4 but Google maps just refused to help us reach our hotel, and we ended up walking uphill in the wrong direction! Anyway, we somehow reached our hotel, and were famished! We planned on ordering something, only to find out that our hotel didn't provide room service. So, now after freshening up, we made a move to the mall road, which was about 5 km from our hotel. The bus stop was at a walk-able distance, so we took the bus going towards mall road. I remember asking people at the bus stop about the exact name of the place we should get down at, "Charring cross" is the name of the place if I remember it correctly. We took the bus and on a fellow Couchsurfer's suggestion checked out some good food joints. He also specially suggested us to go to Moddy's which is at the far end of the mall road. Ooty is famous for homemade chocolates, and we were told that this place is not only famous but has been there for some considerable number of years now. We got some homemade chocolates for home and also got some for my cousin and our host in Coorg. While heading back we saw a board which had details of cab rates for local sight seeing. As we stood there trying to figure out who to get in touch with, a cab stopped by us and asked if we were looking for some help. On getting a nod in affirmative from us, he gave us a visiting card of a travel agent. I gave him a call while getting some food packed for dinner. And in moments I had booked a cab for local sight seeing.

"Let's do that again!", the five of us vowed as we returned home to Coimbatore. Twenty-four hours earlier, we were upset that we had only one day of our semester holidays in common. Wanting to make the best use of that one day, I decided to give my friends a taste of Vattakanal. It is a small town a few kilometers form Kodaikanal. I had fallen in love with this place during my last visit, the previous year.So we left Coimbatore at 5 in the morning (one hour later than planned) in my Maruti Suzuki Swift ZDi. Construction work on Pollachi Road made making up for lost time impossible and gave us quite an off-roading experience. We had to tolerate bad roads till we reached Palani.(Tip 1: Consider the condition of the roads while planning your trip. This rule applies to any road trip.)

From Coimbatore, my place of interest to visit was ISHA yoga center and Adiyogi statue. I just enquired about buses & took a bus to Gandhipuram busstop, from where I got a bus to ISHA yoga center ie; Bus no. 14D which in turn passed through station from where I took bus to Gandhipuram...this is what happens when u r new to a place and don't know the local knowledge;)

Having finished the remainder of my assignment during the connecting Indigo flight, I was relieved. It was heartening to see the coconut plantations from the airplane window as we began our descent at Coimbatore. A little while later we were greeted by the tropical South-Indian weather as we made our way to the baggage claim. Since the Zoomcars request processing time is approximately three hours (we had booked the vehicle at 9am), we found ourselves with a little less than two hours to kill. My sister joined us in the meantime, and we had a short breakfast comprising of ready-to-eat noodles and ice-creams from the general store outside the airport. Little did we know about the adventures that lay ahead of us!After getting picked up by the Zoomcars representative, we headed to their nearest depot. Having completed all the formalities, we found ourselves driving to the Adiyogi Statue twenty minutes later. We had been looking forward to visiting since we saw the unveiling ceremony on TV, and our trip to Ooty was the best opportunity we could possibly think of. Google Maps had become our best friend, as the hour-long journey to the statue was really eventful - we found ourselves passing by fields of coconut trees, and small patches of land blooming with yellow and orange marigolds. A couple of bridges and a few narrow roads later, we found ourselves at the entrance of the parking lot.

Here it goes.. our road trip in the state of Tamil Nadu . This was my first core south trip so i was really excited to see the city ,people around and the culture . For few km we crossed various small towns and then ghat section started from Mettulapalam which was around 40kms from Ooty . I was enjoying the zig zag roads, lovely greenery and super fresh atmosphere .

Over the long weekend in May 2018, we booked two of the campsites in Kodaikanal through CampMonk. This one is about The Spice Valley Campground. This 200 acre land comprising of 4 hills adjoining the Kodaikanal Wildlife Sanctuary is right in the lap of wilderness.We packed our saddles and gear and set off on a long bike ride to the mountains. Even though we have been to Kodaikanal few times, this trip was an adrenaline fueled journey.

Kodaikanal is a weekend gateway from Bangalore. The beautiful hill station is just 465 kms away from the city and situated in the lap of Palani hills in the state of Tamil Nadu. I started my journey on Friday night to reach there by 10 AM. Day 1:The first stop was Pine Forest which is quite popular among the tourists. The mystic place will certainly make you spell bound.

5) Kodaikanal – A 160 K.M bus ride from Munnar takes us to our next destination - the hill-station of Kodaikanal. Pleasant climate, scenic natural vistas and numerous waterfalls are what draw travellers to this quaint hill station. One of the reasons to include Kodai in the circuit is because it is relatively less crowded as compared to its counterparts, Ooty and Conoor. Another place worth visiting, rather worth spending a night at is Vattakanal. It is 30 KMs from Kodai and is known as the hip part of Kodaikanal. Evergreen meadows, dense pine forest, lofty hills and the mist in the air makes Vattakanal a traveller’s delight. There is no dearth of accommodation here. You can find lovely places to stay at just 400 INR per head. Incaase you run out of luck, and all rooms are booked, do visit the IPC church in Vattakanal. They charge around 200 bucks per head and allow you to spend the night in their dorm.The golden hours at Vattakanal are something, you CANNOT miss.What to see: Berijam lake, Kodaikanal Lake, Guna Caves, Pillar Rocks, Silver Cascade Falls, Palani Falls, Vattakanal Viewpoint, Kodailkanal Solar Observatory, Thalaiyar Falls, Dolphin’s nose, Upper Lake view, Pine forest, Perumal Peak.Where to stay: Altaf’s café, Edwin’s, RC guest house, Jennova’s cottage. Out of 3 nights make sure to spend atleast 2 nights in VattakanalRecommended Number of Days: 3n/4dKodai to Madurai by train: 140/- SL (45 mins)Madurai to Rameshwaram train: 40/- Gn (3 hours, 40)Stay Cost: Rooms start at 700/- per night. *Tariff may vary from time to time*Food: 800/- per day or less, depends where you choose to eat. (Breakfast-lunch-dinner; without alcohol)Total Cost: 4680 /-

Day 2 - Kodaikanal, What a love place, very beautiful, I stared riding at 7, got up late again. anyway reached kodaikanal around 3 pm, Got a decent hotel, took my camera and went for exploring kodaikanal. Climate is always chill at kodai (No Fan in rooms). Many places to see in kodaikanal. Pillar rock Pine forest Devil's kitchen Dolphin nose (Trek)All places are open for limited time. Till 4.30-5Pm so make sure you start early to cover all the places. In evening you can spend a very beautiful time near the lake. You can hire cycle and many fun games are available around the lake.

Day one : We reached there early morning from Chennai and my friends from Bengaluru. We have already booked our homestay "Cherry Hills Kodaikanal" and they have arranged a pick up vehicle for us as well as for sight seeing. It was a lovely place with all the arrangements. We decided to visit the major tourist places on day one and keep our two days in hand for further exploration. We visited- Kodaikanal lake - Little crowded place but must visit for cycling around the lake.- Coaker's walk - In the city its the most peaceful and scenic place where you can sit and relax for long.- Guna cave or The Devil's Kitchen - Pine forest- Lake view pointP.S. Your cab driver will guide you across all these places.Day Two : Vattakanal :Stoner's paradise- Vattakanal is a place of serene beauty just situated a few kilometers away from kodaikanal. You can see clouds forming from the cottages which are made on hills and trip on it. You can find lot of hippies chilling there. You can find peace across the valley.- Altaf's Cafe -They specialize in middle-eastern cuisine and we decided to have breakfast there. The food was good and so the view from cafe.- Dolphin's Nose - You need to trek few kilometers to reach this point, its a normal trek with least difficulties. The view is amazing from there.- Vattakanal falls- Its a small fall to chill around.Later as advised by our cab driver we went for the forest tour and our ultimate destination was Berijam Lake. The place was quiet and is perfect if you are planning for some snacks beside lake. The way was beautiful with few view points in between.*Pro tip- Never carry alcohol or any other thing while going to vattakanal from kodaikanal. There is a checkpost where police may take your liquor or magic mushrooms if you have them.*Pro hack- if you are carrying any such stuff please do tell you cab driver(only if you trust him) he might help in smuggling.Day Three : ManavannurWe started early in the morning to visit the beautiful Manavannur. We were greeted by first showers of the season which made our trip awesome. This place is bit far from Kodaikanal so best is to start early. If you are lucky enough you can find wild Bison and other animals on the way.- Poombarai Village - this place comes on the way to Manavannur. It is known for it's colorful houses which gives a mesmerising view from the top.- Manavannur - This is a small village which has lush green sceneries and grasslands around. We had a coracle ride in small lake surrounded by hills. Though the ride is small but it's worth. You will be spell bound by the greenery and the beauty of the place. It's a perfect location to relax and chill with friends.

As part of the Winter Ride I'd been on last December, we rode to several (cold) locations everyday. Our first ride had been from Bangalore to Kodaikanal. From Kodaikanal, we had set our sights on getting to Kolukkumalai.Kolukkumalai, near Idukki, is famous for being the world's highest tea plantation. The tea plantation is about 7100 ft above sea level, and the view from the top of those mountains was something I didn't want to miss. It was less than 150 km from Kodaikanal and the guys who were serious about testing their bike riding skills were looking forward to a challenge that waited for them at Kolukkumalai.

When we reached our stay in Kodai, it was nearly 7 PM. And it was freezing cold. My fingers had become numb even through the riding gloves and I felt the cold hugging my legs and body. We stayed in a homestay arranged by my friends for all of us. They had dormitory style beds and because it was winter, the floor was as cold as the black night sky.I rushed inside after unpacking my bags and jumped straight into bed. Not only did I wrap my blanket around me, but my friend's shawl, a neighbouring bed's rug, and my bed's rug. Only then did I fall asleep.

Right in the beautiful stretch connecting Mangalore and Calicut, lies the calm land of loom and lores, Kannur. Known for its pleasant climate and pleasing scenery, Kannur is surrounded by a beautiful coastline on one side and mountains on the other. With the Lakshadweep Sea set to the west and Western Ghats towards the East, no other place can be better to liven up your spirit after a long week. Just the kind of place when you can't come to a conclusion on the big mountains vs. beaches debate!

As you drive down from Kasargod, make the next stop in and around Kannur. Like most Kerala towns, there’s nothing ‘happening’ to experience in the city: the city is about the small things. Take your car and drive to Muzhappilangad Beach - Asia’s largest drive-in beach! Much like most of Kerala, the beach is perfectly clean and apt for a calm evening walk or a drive.

I was keen also to experience the culture of Kannur and I was fortunate enough to travel during the festive period of 'Theyyam'. Again, with the owner of the property to rescue, he guided us to a place where Theyyam was being celebrated. Though we didn't know a word in malayalam, a local helped us in conversing with the person performing the ritual. I don't know the spiritual importance of this festival but the way it was celebrated made me acknowledge the why Kerala is called God's own country. Me and my brother ventured deeper into the village and tried to get a feel of Kannur. The landscape around was stunning to say the least!

Nearest town where you can get a direct bus to this places are Kannur and Payyannur or Thaliparamba in between these two. Nearest railway station is Kannur or Payyannur. Get a bus to Pottemplavu if not to Kudiyanmala. Pottemplavu village is where the Paithalmala hill station is located at.

Got up in the morning very relaxed and fresh after a good sleep, we woke up to birds chirping. How awesome is that.Then we went down, the break fast was getting ready, meanwhile Uncle showed the place around and was telling about important places around. we went to terrace and we got to see a peacock passing by! absolutely brilliant.

Our Awesome Airbnb Hosts!I need a special block for this, coz it was nothing like trip stay, it was more like a visit to a known ones.We both greeted and Uncle took to the place and we met Aunty, greeted, and went in. Aunty suggested we have some soup and relax as we were pretty tired. And so with soup we had a quick chat. Then they told us to get freshen up, and get ready for dinner.The place is pretty Nice, a big spacious duplex house, we were given a separate room upstairs. We got fresh and came back down, the dinner was ready.

Malabar coast adventure continues. Day two early morning, after checking out from hotel, we decided to visit Kannur to see famous Theyyam.Theyyam is popular ritual form of worship of North Malabar in Kerala, India, predominant in the Kasargod, Kannur Districts, Wayanad and Kozhikode of Kerala, as a living cult with several thousand-year-old traditions, rituals and customs. Theyyam glorifies Goddess Kali. Theyyam or Theyyatam is derived from two Malayalam words “Deyvam” ( god ) and “Aattam” ( dance). The performers of Theyyam belong to the lower caste community, and have an important position in Theyyam. People of these districts consider Theyyam itself as a God and they seek blessings from this Theyyam.Theyyam dances are usually performed in the months of October to June. You can browse this site to know more about timing and place http://www.theyyamcalendar.com/We were not sure, where we can see this, internet helped us and we got to know one place where Theyyam was getting performed. There was contact number as well, we called and the person told us timing and the direction of temple. We reached there exactly on time.It was small temple but decorated beautifully. So many food stalls there and off course place was crowded. There was one open courtyard, for performance.The whole locality had gathered in and around the courtyard to watch the Theyyam. For many local its a time for coming together as family. We somehow managed to get inside the courtyard and took the blessing from Theyyam performers. All the performer adorn colourful costumes and heavy makeup and within 15 minutes Theyyam started.

My eagerness to witness an art form was quenched by watching “Theyyam”, a dance form which recites the mythological stories, in Kannur. I was smitten by its costume, makeup and dance. The aura which this recital creates actually takes one to a different platform. Also, the devotion and discipline of the people to come even in early mornings and witness this dance/mime is worth a praise. It is a ritual for people in north Kerala and some even conduct it in their houses as a form of worship or either go to a temple for the same. Other local tourist attractions, are Snake Park, St. Angelo’s fort and Payyambalam beach. This visit showed me the true picture of the idols of southern India and how are they worshipped in Kerala. The lighting lamps placed near the idol just enhanced the beauty of that small and simple structure even more.

The Land of Loom and Lores, Kannur is probably one of the best spots for a weekend getaway from Bangalore. Mid-way on the Mangalore-Calicut route, Kannur is renowned for its amazing climate and picturesque beauty. For a long weekend, the beaches of Kannur are extremely enchanting.Book your ride to Kannur now.

There are two major towns in Coorg for night stays namely Kushalnagar and Madikeri. Kushalnagar is smaller in area and services than Madikeri. We reached Kushalnagar after a 6 hrs of a tiring journey. One will face a lot of traffic on the Mysuru highway if starting at such times from Bangalore. Almost 2 hrs delayed as per Google Maps.